Mount Washington Observatory "Tour"

[rubber ducky]

Hi everyone!

Through work, i was invited to go visit the MWO tomorrow and attend this open house type function "Meet the Scientists". Apparently we get a tour of the Obs, as well as a few lectures and presentations from the Scientists. If i recall correctly, there's a walking tour of the Alpine Gardens as well...

Having been up there numerous times, and never been in the Observatory, i'm quite excited! i plan on taking a ton of pics, as well as taking notes (wow, i sound like a total geek!).

If anyone has any questions they've always wanted to ask, and never had the chance, i'd love to take them with me and ask on your behalf. so, feel free to post / PM questions that you have, and i'll try to get them answered!

Come to think of it... i think this is the first time i'm getting up the Rockpile without using my own power (we're getting driven up).

Namaste,

RD

 

[severine]

How'd it go?

 

[rubber ducky]

Thanks for asking, and my apologies for not posting anything sooner... i was out of town for a few days, and I've just gotten back.

the meeting went rather well, although we were quite pressed for time. the schedule was changed, rather singnificantly, and i just wished we had more time to just talk to people and what not... i wouldn't quite put it as 'productive', but it was definitely interesting...

got a very brief tour of the Observatory, went up into the Parapet, and got some amazing views. visibility was probably about 100 or so miles, very little wind, and wonderful weather... couldn't ask for a better day to have a meeting on the higest point around. i've taken some pics, i'll try to shrink them down some, soon and try to post them.

i do feel like i've cheated some, since we were driven up the Auto Road... however, having never done that before, i guess its ok. it was rather amusing to see some of the drivers white knuckled and rather horrified at the drops and the narrowness of the road. it was definitely neat to see the different environmental zones (such as the alpine zone, etc) in rather quick succession, and all without any effort!

next day, Friday, i ventured out to do the Franconia Ridge Loop, and again, was greeted by wonderful weather. unlike on Washington, the ridge was plauged with bugs, many of which that bite. i'm still suffering from it. i must say, it was a weird feeling standing on a spot i was looking at the day before, from the Obs, looking back to where i was... (does that make sense?) it was clear enough, and the air still enough that the smoke from the Cog was going almost straight up... it was definitely neat to watch. what wasn't neat was getting stung by a ground wasp on the way down... not to mention the zillion no-see-ums or something that left little marks that are severely itchy.

at any rate, i'm pretty beat ( just got in not too long ago) so i'm going to grab a beer or something and relax.

Namaste

RD